BOISE — In a continuing effort to enlarge its Boise River Campaign, Idaho Rivers United has secured an Arts and History grant for its Water Unites Us project from Boise City Department of Arts and History. Idaho Rivers United is one of twenty-two grantees. This was a very competitive year, with many excellent projects.

Through the Water Unites Us program, IRU reaches out to minorities and young people in the Treasure Valley community, specifically engaging children from Global Gardens Refugee Community Agriculture and the Boise Urban Garden School.

“Through this program, kids create oral, written and visual art inspired by their relationships with gardening, water and the Boise River,” said Liz Paul, IRU’s Boise River Campaign Coordinator.

The project includes a raft trip on the Boise River followed by a workshop in which children learn about the art of story telling and articulate their own stories about water.

“It’s so cool to see these kid s light up,” Paul said. “And then the stories are transformed into poems and visual arts projects that show the story of water as it moves from the Boise River into our food.”

Poems and works of art will be exhibited at local public venues. Special thanks to the Boise Urban Garden School, Boise WaterShed Environmental Education Center, Global Gardens Refugee Community Agriculture, Idaho River Sports, Story Story Night and the Sierra Club for their support in 2011.

“We look forward to working with the Boise City Department of Arts and History, and our many partners, next summer,” Paul said.